How to Merge Pinterest Boards Without Losing Pins

If you've used Pinterest for a while, you've probably got boards that overlap. Dinner Ideas and Easy Meals. Garden and Backyard Plans. Two boards for the same trip because you forgot the first one existed. Merging them pulls everything into one place, so your profile is easier to browse and your Pins are easier to find.

It's a tidy job, but it's not one you can undo with a tap. Here's how merging works on a computer and in the app, according to Pinterest's help centre, what happens to followers and privacy, and the gentler option when you only want to move a few Pins.

Merging Pinterest boards on a computer

You start from the board you'd like to fold into another one. Pinterest's help sets out these steps:

1. Log in to Pinterest and click your profile picture at the top-right.
2. Open the board you want to merge away.
3. Click the ellipsis icon next to the board name.
4. Select Merge.
5. Click the chevron next to Pick a board and choose the board you're merging into.
6. Click Move Pins and Delete Board.

There's also a shortcut on the website. Drag one board into the centre of another on your profile, then click Move Pins and delete board when the prompt appears.

Merging Pinterest boards in the app

The app route is just as quick on iPhone and Android:

1. Open the app and tap your profile picture at the bottom-right.
2. Tap the board you want to merge.
3. Tap the ellipsis icon at the top-right.
4. Select Merge (some app versions say Merge boards).
5. Pick the board you're merging into.
6. Tap Merge.

You can also press and hold the board, tap the edit icon, swipe down and tap Merge board.

Which Pinterest board survives a merge

Getting the direction right matters. The board you start from is the one that disappears. Pinterest's help says its Pins move to the board you pick, and then the original board is deleted. So if one board has the better name, cover or description, open the other board first and merge it into the keeper.

What happens to followers and privacy when Pinterest boards merge

Two details catch people out, and both come straight from Pinterest's help:

• Followers don't move. People who followed the board you merged away won't automatically follow the destination board.
• The destination board's privacy wins. If you merge a secret board into a public board, the public board's settings apply, so those once-hidden Pins become visible.

That second point is the one I'd double-check. If a board holds gift ideas or private planning, merge it into another private board, or move only the Pins you're happy to share.

What you're merging	What happens
Pins on the source board	Move to the board you pick
The source board	Deleted after the merge
Followers of the source board	Don't transfer
Privacy of the result	Follows the destination board
Undo	Not available

Why a Pinterest board merge can't be undone

Pinterest's help is plain about this: there's no undo. If you change your mind, you'd need to create a new board and move the Pins back by hand. That's fine for a small board and painful for a big one, so I'd pause before merging anything with hundreds of saves.

Pinterest also says you can only merge boards or sections that you own. If you've joined someone else's group board, the merge option won't apply to it.

Moving some Pins instead of merging whole boards on Pinterest

If only part of a board belongs elsewhere, skip the merge and move Pins in bulk. It keeps both boards and their followers. Pinterest's help describes it like this:

1. Open the board that holds the Pins.
2. Select Organize at the top of the board.
3. Choose the Pins you'd like to move.
4. Select Move (in the app it's an arrows icon at the bottom of the screen), then pick the destination board or section.

Organize is also the safer choice when the two boards serve different people. A client board and a personal board might share a few Pins, but merging them would mix audiences that don't belong together. Moving the odd Pin keeps each board focused.

Merging sections inside a Pinterest board

Boards can be split into sections, and those can be merged too. On a computer, open the board, hover over a section, click the edit icon on its cover image, select Merge, choose the section under Pick a section and click Move Pins and delete section. In the app, open the section, tap the ellipsis icon, select Merge, pick the other section and tap Move Pins (some versions say Merge sections).

Merging Pinterest boards on a business profile

For small businesses and creators, a handful of clear, well-named boards beats a long list of half-filled ones. Merging is a good way to sharpen your profile, but because followers don't carry over, I'd keep your best-followed board as the destination every time. If you're reorganising as part of a wider rethink, my guide to building Pinterest marketing skills step by step is a helpful companion, and my piece on why Pinterest deserves a spot in a small firm's marketing explains why tidy boards matter.

If you can't merge your Pinterest boards

• Merge isn't showing: check that you own both boards, since Pinterest only lets you merge your own.
• The wrong board vanished: you started from the board you wanted to keep. Create it again and move the Pins back with Organize.
• Your app shows different wording: look for Merge boards or Move Pins, which some versions use.
• Still stuck: update the app or try the website.

Frequently asked questions

How do I merge Pinterest boards?

Open the board you want to merge away, select the ellipsis icon, choose Merge, pick the board you're merging into and confirm with Move Pins and Delete Board (or Merge in the app).

Can I undo a board merge on Pinterest?

No. Pinterest says there's no undo. You'd have to create a new board and move the Pins back yourself.

Do followers move when I merge Pinterest boards?

No. Followers of the board you merge away don't transfer to the destination board.

What happens if I merge a secret board into a public one?

The destination board's privacy settings apply, so the Pins from your secret board become public.

Can I merge a group board I don't own?

No. Pinterest says you can only merge boards or sections that you own.